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Frequently Asked Questions

What courses are prerequisite to graduate study?

If your undergraduate degree is in Speech Pathology/Communication Disorders, it is assumed that you have all the necessary preparation for graduate study. If, however, your undergraduate degree is in a field other than Speech Pathology, you will be required to take the following courses prior to enrollment in graduate level courses. You may apply to the program without an undergraduate degree in Speech Pathology and, if accepted, enroll first in the courses listed below. While it is required that you take these courses, they do not necessarily have to be taken at Kean University. We offer a standalone non-degree program that will enable you to take this suite of classes in person or even online! For more information, please click here.

CDD 2251: Introduction to Speech/ Language/ Hearing Disorders

CDD 2254: Phonetics

CDD 2255: Normal Language Development

CDD 2260: Anatomy and Physiology of the Ear and Speech Mechanism

CDD 3259: Basic Audiology

CDD 3261: Speech Science

CDD 3258: Disorders of Speech Production and Voice

CDD 3269: Neuroscience for Speech and Hearing

How do we get ready for graduation?

At the beginning of your last semester, apply for graduation and certification at the Office of Graduate Student Services. Kean University will endorse the attainment from the State of New Jersey for your first certificate, which in our case is the Speech-Language Specialist certificate. When you are certified through Kean’s Office of Graduate Studies, it is a smooth process. It is advisable to apply through Kean, rather than petitioning local or state departments of education yourself. Kean will need
your Praxis scores in order to grant certification. You may want to make an appointment with either Dr. Cascia, Dr. Mandel or Dr. Shulman. Bring all of your signed clinical hours forms. Your academic and clinical records will be scrutinized to insure that you meet all ASHA standards for the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP). Even if your clinical hours are incomplete at that time, set up the appointment to avoid any surprises at the end.

How do we prepare to be employable in the schools?

As stated above, your application for graduation allows for an application for your first certificate. Kean’s Office of Graduate Studies will process all of the appropriate paperwork for you. You will receive your certificate as a Speech-Language Specialist in the mail. It may take four to six weeks. If you need documentation that you have completed all of the requirements for this certificate for an immediate job opening, contact the Office of Graduate Student Services.
That office can generate the appropriate letter.

How do we prepare to be employable in a hospital or rehabilitation center?

In order to work in a setting that is NOT a school, you will need a Temporary License. See the section, below, on state licensure.

What do we do to prepare for ASHA certification and membership?

Having reviewed your academic record, when your clinical hours are complete, either Dr. Cascia, Dr. Mandel, or Dr. Shulman will sign your application to ASHA membership and certification. It's your responsibility to obtain the certification booklet from ASHA, which is also available online. It is an excellent guide, answering all the questions you could have about ASHA. ASHA does not deal with all of the forms on which your clinical hours are recorded and your supervisors’ signatures appear. Make a copy of all of your clinical hours forms. Keep one set for your personal file and submit the other set for your Kean file. It makes no difference who keeps the original copies. These forms typically go nowhere, but stay in your file. Once the certification application is completed, you typically have three years to complete your Clinical Fellowship Year (CFY). You may send your application to ASHA at any point before your CFY is completed. Certification requires completion of the forms, completion of your CFY and its evaluation tool, and a passing score on the Praxis. You may submit these things to ASHA one at a time or as a complete package.

How do we prepare for state licensure?

Licensure in New Jersey is a confusing term. There are two types of licensure relevant to speech-language pathologists in New Jersey. First is a license to practice speech-language pathology in a school setting. The governing agency for the schools is the New Jersey State Department of Education. While this office calls it a “license,” it is more typically referred to as “certification.” The certification is as a Speech-Language Specialist. You should have applied for this certification along with graduation, as recommended above. Kean University will process this for you. For a license to practice speech-language pathology in a setting other than a school, you need a separate application. This means that if your first employment setting (your CFY) is in a hospital, rehabilitation center, private agency, private practice or community clinic, you must receive a Temporary License from the Division of Consumer Affairs, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Advisory Committee. This government agency oversees our license and can be reached at (973) 504-6390. The application process is similar to that of ASHA. Your Temporary License covers you until your CFY is completed. Please note, that for the Division of Consumer Affairs, the terms “Clinical Internship” is used instead of “Clinical Fellowship Year.” You will have to file a supervisory plan with the Division of Consumer Affairs, but its requirements are easily met by those of the Clinical Fellowship Year. In essence, what you are doing for ASHA certification is the equivalent of what you have to do for New Jersey. A passing score on the Praxis examination is needed for a regular license. You can work under a Temporary License for 18 months. By then you should have completed the supervisory period and you should have passed the Praxis examination.